Machine for rounding up lumps of dough in the manufacture of bread.



F. H. VAN HOUTEN, JR. MAOHINE FOR ROUNDING UP LUMPS 0F DOUGH IN THEMANUFACTURE OF BREAD.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1909. 1,067,953. Patented July 22, 1913.

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F. H. VAN HOUTEN, JR. MACHINE FOR ROUNDING UP LUMPS OF DOUGH IN THEMANUFACTURE OF BREAD.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1909.

1,067,953. Patented July 22,1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C(LJVASHINGTON, [L c pair slams ram NT OTGQ FRANKHENERY VAN HOUTEN, JR., 013 FISI-IKILL-ON-THE-HUDSON, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR ROUNDING UP LUMPS OF DOUGH IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BREAD.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. VAN HoUTnN, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fishkill on the-Hudson, in the county of Dutchessand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Machines for Rounding Up Lumps of Dough in the Manufacture of Bread;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures andletters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to apparatus for rounding up, kneading and givinga surface finish to lumps of dough preparatory to the proofing andbaking of the same to make bread.

The objects of the invention are to provide a machine which willeffectually perform the kneading and rounding-up operations as asimultaneous and continuous process, whereby the lumps of dough may betreated in succession or a series of lumps simultaneously treated asthey progress through the machine, one after the other.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a front elevation of a machineembodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same,and Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the mechanism at one end of the tablein section in order to illustrate more clearly the movement of the mainmolding board.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The base frame A of the machine is illustrated as of conventional formand adapted to support a top board or table B upon which the mechanismofthe present invention is mounted.

In proximity to opposite ends of the table, which latter may be of anydesired length, say eight feet, more or less, are mounted verticallyarranged frames C having at their upper ends bearings for horizontalshafts D, said shafts being geared together for simultaneous rotation inthe same direction pref erably by a sprocket chain and wheels E.

, On one of the shafts there is mounted a fast drive pulley F and aloose pulley F where- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 18, 1909.

Patented July 22, 1913..

Serial No. 502,972.

by the shaft may be driven, as desired, through the manipulation of anordinary drive belt. Each shaft carries a beveled gear (Z meshing with acorresponding gear 9 on a vertically arranged shaft G journaled inbearings projecting from the frame C and having at its lower end a crankarm H. The crank arms H have their crank pins journaled in levers Iwhich levers, at one end, slide in transverse guideways or bearings Kalso carried by the frame C, and at their opposite ends are pivotallyconnected with a main molding board L. The molding board L extendsapproximately throughout the whole length of the table and moves overthe surface of the same in a substantially elliptic path indicated atthe right hand end of Fig. 3 by the dotted lines Z, such movement beingdue to the crank and lever arrangement of the driving mechanism. As aresult of the operation of this mechanism the molding board moves bodilyforward and advances longitudinally of the table in a curved path, themaximum advance move ment transversely of the length of the table beingat a point substantially midway of the travel of the boardlongitudinally of the table.

The molding board L is preferably provided with an inclined face andarranged in opposition thereto is a longitudinal guide M, preferablyadjustably mounted on the table by thumb nuts m, whereby it may be adjusted toward and from the molding board L, so as to accommodate lumpsof dough of different size between the guide and molding board andpermit the latter to move into and out of contact with the'dough.

With the arrangement described, a lump of dough placed bet-ween themolding board and guide at one end of the machine will, due to themovements of the molding board, be caused to advance intermittentlytoward the opposite end of the table and, during each advance movement,the said lump of dough will be squeezed, partly or wholly raised fromthe table, and rolled between the molding board and guide.- During thereverse movement of the molding board said lumps of dough will rest onthe table close to the guide.

The described operation will impart to the lump of dough more or less ofa surface finish and will, to a certain extent, knead the same, but inorder to perform these operations in the most efficient manner and, infact, to secure results which are as efiicient as those obtained by themost skilful hand manipulation, a supplemental molding board is providedwhich will operate upon the lumps of dough in a reverse direction to thedirection in which the molding board L operates upon the same. This, ineffect, not only prolongs the surface over which, or in contact withwhich, the dough must travel, but performs an actual reverse kneadingoperation which imparts to the dough a uniform texture and a uniformsurface finish throughout the whole lump.

The supplemental molding board is indicated in the accompanying drawingby the letter N and is adapted to operate in a vertical plane betweenthe molding board and guide. A simple and convenient form of operatingmechanism illustrated in the drawings, consists of crank arms 0 carriedby the front ends of the shafts D, with which upwardly extending arms Non the supplemental molding board connect. The crank arms 0 impart abodily circular movement to the supplemental molding board and thedirection of travel of said supplemental molding board when traversingthe lower halfof its path or when in contact with the dough is reverseor contrary to the direction of travel of the dough through the machine.The reverse movement imparted to the top portions of the lumps of doughby the supplemental molding board is, however, less than the advancemovement imparted to the lumps of dough by the main molding board Land,'conse quently, the lumps of dough advance through the machineintermittently but in orderly sequence. 7

The main and supplemental molding boards operate upon the lumps of doughalternately, one making its effective movement while the other is makingits return or ineffective movement, and the two together operating tothoroughly knead the dough and to uniformly stretch and give the surfacea proper tension and finish.

Obviously, the lumps of dough may be supplied to the machine and removedtherefrom by any suitable appliances or, if desired, by hand labor andin this connection it will be noted that the supplemental molding boarddoes not extend to the entering end of the machine, thus leaving a spacefor the reception of the lumps of dough.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In a rounding-up machine for lumps of dough, the combination with thetable, guide arranged above said table, molding board arranged inopposition to said guide but removed therefrom whereby lumps of doughmay be placed on the table between the guide and board, and operatingmeans whereby the lumps of dough are kneaded and caused to advanceintermittently, of a supplemental molding board, and means for movingsaid supplemental molding board into contact with the dough and in adirection reverse to the direction of travel of the dough through themachine.

2. In a rounding-up machine for lumps of dough, the combination with thetable, guide, molding board, and operating means whereby the lumps ofdough are kneaded and caused to advance intermittently between the guideand molding board, of an intermittently operating supplemental moldingboard working between the guide and main molding board, and means foroperating said supplemental molding board, to move it into engagementwith the dough during the interval between the advance movements of thedough.

3. In a rounding-up machine for lumps of dough, the combination with thetable and guide extending above said table, of the main and supplementalmolding boards, and operating mechanism for alternately advancing saidmain and supplemental molding boards into position to operate upon thelumps of dough and for alternately withdrawing them from their advancedpositions.

4. In a rounding-up machine for lumps of dough, the combination with thetable, upwardly extending guide above said table, and main andsupplemental molding boards movable in planes at substantially rightangles to each other, of crank arms and gearing connecting said crankarms whereby the main and supplemental molding boards will bealternately advanced into position to operate upon the lumps of dough.

5. In a rounding-up machine for lumps of dough, the combination with thetable, the upwardly projecting guide above said table, the horizontallymovable main molding board and the vertically movable supplementalmolding board, of operating shafts having crank arms on which thesupplemental molding board is. hung, and operating mechanism for themain molding board driven from said shafts, whereby the main andsupplemental molding boards will be alternately advanced into positionto operate upon the lumps of dough.

6. In a rounding-up machine for lumps of dough, the combination with thetable, upwardly extending guides above said table and main andsupplemental moldingboards,

of oppositely rotating crank arms connectto act thereon in oppositedirections With ed With said main and supplemental moldrespect to thepath of travel of the dough ing boards, respectively, and intermediatethrough the machine.

gears between said crank arms whereby the FRANK HENERY VAN HOUTEN, JR.-main and supplemental molding boards are Witnesses:

alternately advanced into position to oper- HOWARD B. WILTsn,

ate upon the lumps of dough and are caused F. H. VAN I-IOUTEN, Sr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

